CURRENT NEWS in INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Customs Broker Prep Course

Contact info@ctsiadvisors.com or (609) 896-2210 for more information.

Our Customs Broker Exam Prep Course provides four full days of interactive learning followed by another eight weeks of quizzes and exercises to fully prepare you for the Customs Broker Exam. An excellent course for those preparing for the Customs Broker Exam OR those interested in learning more about international trade and the customs regulations. Join your colleagues and learn in an atmosphere that allows for questions, guidance and continuous examples of actual exam questions.

The 4-day workshop is specifically designed to prepare a candidate for taking the Customs Broker License Exam offered the first Monday in April and October by CBP. This course provides an intense review of the import regulations and Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS). Participants must supply their own copies of these books, but do not have to have any previous experience in this field to succeed.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced an expansion and modification of a general test concerning its Centers of Excellence and Expertise, which aim to facilitate the entry of merchandise imported by companies within certain industries. A notice concerning this test, including the application process and eligibility and selection criteria, is available in the April 4 Federal Register.

Korea-US Free Trade Agreement - effective March 15, 2011

As of March 15 the Korean-US Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) will be effective. This will be the United States' most commercially significant free trade agreement in more than 16 years. Under the KORUS FTA, almost 80% of U.S. exports to Korea of consumer and industrial products will become duty free on March 15, 2012, and nearly 95 percent of bilateral trade in consumer and industrial products will become duty free within five years of that date. Most remaining tariffs would be eliminated within 10 years. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us.

January 2012 Updates to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)

The HTS code, also known as the classification code, was updated January 1, 2012. Classification forms the basis of admissibility of imported items, along with their eligibility under most free trade agreements and identifies your requirement for paying the correct amount of duty. To ensure your international supply chain will run smoothly in the new year, work to ensure all of your 2012 classification codes will be up to date within your systems and with your supply chain business partners.

Upcoming changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) became effective January 1, 2012. The World Customs Organization has confirmed changes as follows:

The Numbers:

204 - Number of amendments
53 - Number of different HS chapters impacted
39 - Number of legal notes impacted
108 - Number of different headings
1266 - Number of unique 10-digit HTSUS numbers changing
175 - Number of sub-headings impacted
329 - Number of sub-headings added
38 - Number of sub-headings changed

For more information, see - http://www.wcoomd.org

NEW CBP Form 6084 - Pinkie is gone

October 11, 2011 This is to inform the Trade Community to be on the lookout for an updated version of the CBP Form 6084 (7/11). You will no longer receive pink carbon forms in the mail. A sample bill is available on the CBP website at:

Smartphone Technology with Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

CPB has announced a new pilot program to expedite the release of cargo. Importers were pleased to learn of new smartphone technology being used during the inspection of cargo.

Current operations require the CPB inspector to return to their offices following the exam, and release the cargo wthin the system. Under the pilot program, they will be able to release the hold in real time using smartphone technology, saving companies time and money.

The program is called the Enforcement Link to Mobile Operations - Cargo (ELMOcargo). For assistance with your cargo security program, C-TPAT applications and/or validations, or the creation of your cargo security procedures and training programs, contact us at info@ctsiadvisors.com

FDA Enforcement And Compliance Activities Accessible Online Soon

The FDA is disclosing more information about inspections and court actions, and now has a Web portal on its enforcement activities as part of Phase II of the agency's Transparency Initiative. These actions are being taken to make FDA's enforcement and compliance-related activities more accessible, downloadable, and searchable online.

The information includes a summary of the most common Inspectional Observations of objectionable conditions or practices made during inspections and a searchable Inspections Database that includes the names and addresses of inspected facilities, inspection dates, type of FDA-regulated products involved, and final inspectional classification.

By the end of 2011, FDA will also begin to disclose additional information about FDA evaluations of filers, expand disclosure of Untitled Letters, and in appropriate situations, support industry efforts during a food recall to inform consumers of products that are not subject to the recall.
Access to this information about FDA's enforcement and compliance activities will provide the following to the public and regulated industry:

More information about company practices that may jeopardize public health, as well as about companies that have had satisfactory FDA inspections.

Information about recall and enforcement activities that will help consumers make decisions about products.

Information about inspection results, which can be expected to create a greater incentive to bring practices into compliance with the law.

Information about food products that are not subject to a particular recall, which can help reduce consumer confusion.

NAFTA Benchmarking Survey

C-TPAT, the voluntary cargo security program opened membership to asset based 3PLs in early 2009, excluding non-asset based 3PL from the benefits of this program. However, this may soon change with H.R. 5619, a bill pending before Congress this week that intends to amend the SAFE Port Act to provide for the eligibility of certain non-asset based third party logistics providers (3PLs) to participate in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program.

Specifically, it will amend Section 212 of the SAFE Port Act (Public Law 109-347; 6 USC 962) by amending the text to list non-asset 3PLs, including DOT-licensed motor carrier brokers, as eligible for C-TPAT.Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that over 85% of all security breaches occur within the transportation sector – so C-TPAT participation will improve the marketing and service capabilities for 3PL firms.

To support their entry into the program, Customs & Trade Solutions, Inc has developed a 2-day workshop that reviews the application process in detail, provides for written procedures and a review of the company’s application before submission to CBP.

CURRENT NEWS

Suggested Importer Security Filing Power of Attorney Adjustment
With the Importer Security Filing coming towards the importing community in just over a month, new questions have arisen. Read more...